What Percentage of Motorcycle Accidents Are Rider Only?
Several factors can affect the likelihood of being involved in a motorcycle accident. Among these are the weather conditions and the time of day. If you are considering riding a motorcycle, it’s important to be aware of these factors and take the proper precautions to protect yourself and your passengers. Using motorcycle helmets is also recommended to reduce the risk of fatal injuries.
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Motorcyclists are 35 times more likely to die in a traffic accident than a passenger vehicle riders. Those who ride motorcycles also experience more injuries than passengers in other types of vehicles. In a typical motorcycle crash, the motorcyclist is allowed less than two seconds to avoid a collision. Several factors can cause motorcycle accidents, such as excessive speed, distracted driving, and rider error.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration tracks motorcycle registrations and injuries. These numbers show that there are about 89,000 motorcycle accidents in the U.S. annually, with about one percent of these accidents resulting in fatalities. The percentage of fatal motorcycle accidents varies by state. The highest number of fatal crashes occurred in Florida, Texas, and Pennsylvania. The state with the lowest number of fatalities was Alaska.
Most motorcycle crashes occur when the motorcycle is turning left. A left-turn accident occurs when a car encroaches on the motorcyclist’s right of way. If the car does not slow or stop in time, the motorcycle may run into the vehicle. There are also accidents involving the rider hitting a stationary object.
The age group with the highest rate of fatal crashes is the 25-to-29 age group. In 2020, this age group had the highest rate of fatal crashes, despite having the lowest average age. The 55-and-older age group saw a 37 percent increase in fatal crashes in 2020. In this age group, motorcyclist fatalities jumped from 1,087 to 1,486.
The 25-to-29 age group has the lowest fatality rate during the weekdays, while the 50-to-54 age group has the highest rate of fatal crashes during the weekends. In the case of fatal crashes involving a passenger vehicle, the 50-to-54 age group was more likely to have been driving at night, which contributed to 37% of fatal crashes.
Motorcycles are more likely to crash into fixed objects than other vehicles. 14 percent of light trucks and 18 percent of passenger cars collided with fixed objects. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has found that nearly 25 percent of motorcycle fatalities involve crashes with fixed objects. Motorcycles are also more likely to be involved in fatal crashes when they are traveling at high speeds. Excessive speed results in a higher impact in collisions and results in more severe injuries.
Drivers over 65 and drivers over 20 years old are also overrepresented in the population of motorcycle accidents. In addition to age, other factors such as race, gender, and education can affect the risk of being involved in a motorcycle accident. If a driver has a higher blood alcohol concentration, the effects of impaired reaction times can also increase the risk of fatalities.